U.S. Open women’s final scores higher TV ratings than men's final

Sunday's U.S. Open final between Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka drew the highest overnight ratings for a U.S. Open women's final in 11 years—a 4.9 rating—which was higher than the men’s final's ratings on Monday. Rafael Nadal's four-set win over Novak Djokovic, also broadcast on CBS, earned a 2.8 overnight rating, according to Sports Business Daily.

The women’s final was up 26 percent from the same match-up from 2012 (3.9) and was up 17 percent over 2011, when Sam Stosur upset Serena (4.2). The 4.9 rating is the highest for a women’s final at the U.S. Open since the Saturday night prime-time final between Venus and Serena in 2002, which earned a 7.2. The 4.9 rating was also the highest for any U.S. Open final since Roger Federer beat Andy Roddick in 2006 (5.1), according to Sports Media Watch. (See also here.)

The Open men’s singles final was up 22 percent from the Andy Murray vs. Djokovic final in 2012 (2.3) and up eight percent from the Djokovic vs. Nadal final in 2010 (2.6). The 2.8 rating is the highest for the men’s final since a 4.2 rating for the 2007 final when Roger Federer beat Djokovic. That was the last time a men's final was played on a Sunday afternoon.

On Monday night, the Philadelphia Eagles' victory over the Washington Redskins on ESPN earned a 10.1 rating.

Sports Media Watch also reported that the last six U.S. Open men’s finals played on Sunday from 2002-2007 ranged from 3.3 to 7.9 rating, while the six Monday finals from 2008-2013 were in the range of 2.2 to 2.8.